Acronyms
Click on a letter to see those acronyms and definitions.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
Action Strategy: Describes the actions necessary to implement the community vision. This includes new transportation facilities and services to be provided and funding sources.
Air Quality: As described in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the Clean Air Washington laws of 1991.
Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA ): Federal legislation requiring the provision of facilities to individuals with disabilities that will assure accessibility to all transportation facilities both public and private. ADA guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and local government services and telecommunications.
Area Sources: Small stationary and non-transportation pollution sources that are too small and/or numerous to be included as point sources but may collectively contribute significantly to air pollution (e.g., dry cleaners).
Arterial Street: A class of street serving major traffic movements (high-speed, high volume) for travel between major points.
Attainment Area: An area considered to have air quality that meets or exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health standards used in the Clean Air Act. Nonattainment areas are areas considered not to have met these standards for designated pollutants. An area may be an attainment area for one pollutant and a nonattainment area for others.
Average Vehicle Occupancy (AVO): The average number of persons traveling in a vehicle on a facility.
B
Build Out: Having no remaining vacant land; fully developed to the maximum permitted by adopted plans and zoning.
C
Capacity: A transportation facilities ability to accommodate a moving stream of people or vehicles in a given time period.
Capacity Accounting Procedure: A procedure followed by a city or county to account for the accumulated requests for capacity from developments that have received development approval. The procedure assures that transportation capacity is set aside so that it is available when the development is complete.
Capital Facilities: The physical structures, which serve urban development.
Capital Facilities Element: The capital facilities element of the comprehensive plan includes: an inventory of existing capital facilities owned by public entities, showing the locations and capacities of the capital facilities; a forecast of the future needs for such capital facilities; and the proposed locations and capacities of expanded or new capital facilities.
Capital Program Funds: Financial assistance from the Capital Program of 49 U.S.C. This program enables the Secretary of Transportation to make discretionary capital grants and loans to finance public transportation projects divided among fixed guideway (rail) modernization; construction of new fixed guideway systems and extensions to fixed guideway systems; and replacement, rehabilitation, and purchase of buses and rented equipment, and construction of bus-related facilities.
Carbon Monoxide (CO): A colorless, odor-less, tasteless gas formed in large part by incomplete combustion of fuel. Human activities (i.e., transportation or industrial processes) are largely the source for CO contamination.
Categorical Exclusion (CE): an action that does not individually or cumulatively have a significant impact on the human environment. This Categorical Exclusion does not require an Environmental Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement.
Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC): representative stakeholders that meet regularly to discuss issues of common concern, such as transportation, and to advise sponsoring agency officials. These groups effectively interact between citizens and their government.
Clean Air Act (CAA): The original Clean Air Act was passed in 1963, but the national air pollution control program is actually based on the 1970 version of the law. The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) is the most far-reaching revisions of the 1970 law. The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment is the most recent version of the 1970 version of the law. The 1990 amendments made major changes in the Clean Air Act.
Concurrency: Requirement that public facilities and services be provided concurrent with new development. A process of reassessment, concurrency is the key link between land use and transportation. The state’s Growth Management Program very specifically defines “concurrent with development” for transportation as meaning that “improvement or strategies are in place at the time of development, or that a financial commitment is in place to complete the improvements or strategies within six years.
Congestion Management System (CMS): Systematic process for managing congestion. Provides information on transportation system performance and finds alternative ways to alleviate congestion and enhance the mobility of people and goods, to levels that meet state and local needs.
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ): A categorical Federal-aid funding program created with the ISTEA. Directs funding to projects that contribute to meeting national air quality standards. CMAQ funds generally may not be used for projects that result in the construction of new capacity available to SOVs (single-occupant vehicles).
Consultation: When one party confers with another identified party and, prior to taking action(s), considers that party’s views.
Cooperation: The parties involved in carrying out the planning, programming and management systems processes work together to achieve a common goal or objective.
Coordination: The comparison of the transportation plans, programs and schedules of one agency with related plans, programs, and schedules of other agencies or entities with legal standing, and adjustment of plans, programs and schedules to achieve general consistency.
Cost Estimates: Cost of new facilities or services necessary to compare the transportation needs with the available revenues. Costs must estimated for:
- Maintenance and operation of the existing and proposed transportation system.
- Costs of acquiring new transit vehicles or ferry vessels and related capital costs.
- Program costs for operating transportation services such as transit or ridesharing.
- General costs associated with administering, planning, and operating the transportation system.
County Road Administration Board (CRAB): The County Road Administration Board was created by the Legislature in 1965 to provide statutory oversight of Washington ’s thirty-nine county road departments. The agency is funded from a portion of the counties’ fuel tax that is withheld for state supervision, and from a small portion of the two grant programs that it administers. The agency is governed by a nine-member board, which meets quarterly and is comprised of six county commissioners/council-members and three county engineers.
Critical Areas: As a key part in managing growth in Washington, the Growth Management Program requires that every county and city classify and designate critical area: wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, fish and wildlife habitat, frequently flooded areas, geologically hazardous areas, and rare/endangered plant habitat.
Cultural: A coded recording of recreational opportunities as related to a specific recreational feature.
D
Deficiency: The condition when a facility does not meet adopted level of service standards.
Degradation: The threshold level of travel demand, which can be added to a transportation facility before the “surplus” capacity is used up.
Delay: An indicator of transportation level of service at intersection measured as the length of time at which a vehicle is stopped.
Density (land use measurement): For residential development, density means the number of housing units per acre. For population, density means the number of people per acre or square mile.
Density (transportation measure): An indicator of transportation level of service measured as the number of vehicles per mile per lane.
Department of Transportation (DOT): When used alone, indicates U.S. Department of Transportation. In conjunction with a place name, indicates state, city, or county transportation agency (e.g., Illinois DOT, Los Angeles DOT).
Developable Land: Land that is suitable as a location for structures because it is free of hazards (flood, fire, geological, etc.), has access to services (water, sewer, storm drainage, and transportation), and will not disrupt or adversely affect natural resource areas.
Drivability: Driving safety, ease, and pleasure as related to road conditions, lane and shoulder width, traffic volume, and opposing traffic separation.
E
Element: A component or chapter of the comprehensive plan. State law requires each city comprehensive plan to include six elements. Counties must also prepare a Rural Element. In addition, elements addressing recreation, conservation, and solar energy may be included at local option.
Emissions Budget: The part of the State Implementation Plan (SIP) that identifies the allowable emissions levels, mandated by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), for certain pollutants emitted from mobile, stationary, and area sources. The emissions levels are used for meeting emission reduction milestones, attainment, or maintenance demonstrations.
Emissions budget for motor vehicles: That portion of the total allowable emissions defined in a revision of the applicable State Implementation Plan (SIP) that identifies the allowable emissions levels, mandated by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), for certain pollutants emitted from mobile, stationary, and area sources. The emissions levels are used for meeting emission reduction milestones, attainment, or maintenance demonstrations.
Emissions inventory: A complete list of sources and amounts of pollutant emissions within a specific area and time interval.
Environmental Justice (EJ): Environmental justice assures that services and benefits allow for meaningful participation and are fairly distributed to avoid discrimination.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The federal regulatory agency responsible for administering and enforcing federal environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and others.
Exceptional View Area: An isolated area of high visual quality which is located along a state route not eligible for Scenic and Recreational Highways designation because of its overall low visual quality.
Exemption: a land use type, which is exempted from Concurrency provisions of the Growth Management Act.
Expressway: A divided arterial highway for through traffic with full or partial control of access and generally with grade separations at intersections.
F
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA): A branch of the US Department of Transportation that administers the federal-aid Highway Program, providing financial assistance to states to construct and improve highways, urban and rural roads, and bridges. The FHWA also administers the Federal Lands Highway Program, including survey, design, and construction of forest highway system roads, parkways and park roads, Indian reservation roads, defense access roads, and other Federal lands roads.
Federal Transit Administration (FTA): A branch of the US Department of Transportation that is the principal source of federal financial assistance to America 's communities for planning, development, and improvement of public or mass transportation systems. FTA provides leadership, technical assistance, and financial resources for safe, technologically advanced public transportation to enhance mobility and accessibility, to improve the Nation's communities and natural environment, and to strengthen the national economy.
Finance Element: The finance element of the transportation plan assures the recommended improvements are financially feasible to implement. It includes:
- An analysis of funding capability.
- A multi-year financing plan.
- If probable funding falls short of meeting identified needs, a discussion of how additional funding will be raised, or how land use assumptions will be reassessed to ensure that level of service standards will be met.
Financial Planning: The process of defining and evaluating funding sources, sharing the information, and deciding how to allocate the funds.
Financial Programming: A short-term commitment of funds to specific projects identified in the regional Transportation Improvement Program (see TIP).
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI): A statement indicating that a project was found to have no significant impacts on the quality of the human environment and for which an environmental statement will therefore not be prepared.
Fine Particulates: Particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in size (PM-2.5). A micron is one millionth of a meter. See "Particulate matter" below.
Fiscal Constraint: Making sure that a given program or project can reasonably expect to receive funding within the time allotted for its implementation.
Formula Capital Grants: Federal transit funds for transit operators. Allocation of funds overseen by FTA.
Freeway: a divided arterial highway designed for the safe non-impeded movement of large volumes of traffic, with full control of access and grade separations at intersections.
G
Geographic Information System (GIS): Computerized data management system designed to capture, store, retrieve, analyze, and display geographically referenced information.
Growth Management Act: House Bill 2929 (RCW 36.70a and RCW 47.80). Adopted in 1990 and all associated amendments since that time.
Growth Management Policy Committee: A committee authorized by the Growth Management Act to represent the interest of local agencies in the development of county wide planning policies.
Growth Management Program: New Washington planning law that relates land use, transportation, capital facilities, housing, public utilities, and environmental protection in its requirements (RCW 36.70a and RCW 47.80).
Growth Phasing: A capacity allocation method which "preapproves" a certain level of development capacity in an area, based upon a study of current and future travel demands.
H
High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV): Vehicles that carry multiple occupants. HOVs include buses, vanpools, and carpools. HOV vehicles can use especially reserved HOV lanes on freeways, highways, and city arterials.
Highway/Transit Assignment: The fifth and final step in travel forecasting. A forecast of the highway route or transit route a trip will traverse. Highway/transit assignment simulates the traffic volumes and transit ridership on the highway and transit system.
Home - Based Trip: A trip with one end at the residence of the trip‑maker.
Home - Based Work Trip: A trip, for the purpose of work, with one end at the residence of the trip‑maker.
I
Impact Area: The geographic area within which the traffic impacts of a development must be evaluated.
Impact Fee: A fee levied on the developer of a project by a city, county, or special district as compensation for the expected effects of that development. The Growth Management Act authorizes imposition of impact fees on new development and sets the conditions under which they may be imposed.
Implementation Measure: An action, procedure, program or technique that carries out comprehensive plan policy.
Infrastructure Capacity Monitoring System: A system established by a local government, either manual or automated, to maintain current capacity information for all public facilities for which level of service standards are established. This system needs to include all reservations of capacity issued to date through the development permitting process in order to ensure concurrency.
Inspection and maintenance program: An emissions testing and inspection program implemented by states to ensure that the catalytic or other emissions control devices on in-use vehicles are properly maintained.
Intactness: The integrity of visual pattern; the extent to which the landscape is free from visual encroachments. A visual quality criterion.
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS): The application of advanced technologies to improve the efficiency and safety of transportation systems.
Intergovernmental Coordination: Efforts include an assessment of the impacts of the transportation plan and land use assumptions on the transportation systems of adjacent jurisdictions and within a given region. RCW 36.70A.100 and RCW 47.80.010 of the Growth Management Act require intergovernmental coordination for both land use and transportation.
Intermodal: The ability to connect, and connections between, modes of transportation.
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA): Legislative initiative by the US Congress that restructured funding for transportation programs; authorized an increased role for regional planning commissions/MPOs in funding decisions; and required comprehensive regional and statewide long-term transportation plans.
Interstate Highway System (IHS): The system of highways that connects the principal metropolitan areas, cities, and industrial centers of the United States . Also connects the US to internationally significant routes in Canada and Mexico .
L
Land Use: Refers to manner in which portions of land or the structures on them are used, e.g., commercial, residential, retail, industrial, etc.
Land Use Assumptions: The proposed and existing land uses, i.e., retail, various residential densities, office, manufacturing, etc. used in developing travel forecasts. These land uses are represented by population and employment numbers in the travel forecasting process.
Land Use Based Travel Models: Land use based travel models are used to forecast future travel on the transportation system. The forecast is linked to the land use assumption. This travel forecast is used to identify future deficiencies in the transportation system and to determine concurrency.
Land Use Element: The land use element of the comprehensive plan designates the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land. Land uses include, but not limited to the following, where appropriate: agriculture, timber production, housing, commerce, industry, recreation, open spaces, public utilities, and public facilities. The land use element includes population densities, building intensities, and estimates of future population growth.
Land Use Strategies: An action that addresses the relationship between land uses to reduce the number of vehicular trips generated and/or reduces the length of trips.
Latent Travel Demand: Travel demand which does not currently exist but which will be attracted by the expansion of transportation capacity.
Level of Service: A method of measuring and defining the type and quality of particular public service such as transportation, fire protection, police protection, library service, schools/education, etc. The county and cities must cooperatively develop standards for level of service for public services and infrastructure as a part of the policies governing growth management.
Level of Service Standards (LOS): A gauge for evaluating the quality of service on the transportation system. Described by travel times, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions, comfort, convenience, and safety. Measurement is by the letters “A to F” with “A” being free-flowing traffic to “F” heavy congestion.
Link Concurrency Management System: A system for determining concurrency between street or road capacity and the expected traffic impact a new development that addresses only the street or road segment immediately adjacent to the development proposal.
Long-range Transportation Plan: A document resulting from a regional or statewide process of collaboration and consensus on a region or State’s transportation system. This document serves as the defining vision for the region’s or State’s transportation systems and services. In metropolitan areas, the plan indicates all of the transportation improvement scheduled for funding over the next 20 years.
Long Term: In transportation planning refers to a time span of, generally, 20 years. The transportation plans for metropolitan areas and for States should include projections for land use, population, and employment for the 20-year period.
M
Maintenance Area: Maintenance area is any geographic region of the United States previously designated nonattainment pursuant to the CAA Amendments of 1990 and subsequently redesignated to attainment subject to the requirement to develop a maintenance plan under section 175A of the CAA, as amended.
Metropolitan Area Boundary (MAB): An area determined by an agreement between the governor and the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) as defined in (23 USC 134).
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO): Regional policy body, required in urbanized areas with populations over 50,000, and designated by local officials and the governor of the state. Responsible in cooperation with the state and other transportation providers for carrying out the metropolitan transportation planning requirements of federal highway and transit legislation.
Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP): The official intermodal transportation plan that is developed and adopted through the metropolitan transportation planning process for the metropolitan planning area, in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 134, 23 USC 135 and 49 U.S.C. 5303.
Mitigation: Means to avoid, minimize, rectify or reduce an impact, and in some cases, to compensate for an impact.
Mobile Source: The mobile source-related pollutants are carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter (PM-10 and PM 2.5).
Mobility: A measure of transportation service performance that takes into consideration the ability of a traveler to move from origin to destination at the time and with the travel mode desired.
Mode: A specific form of transportation, such as automobile, subway, bus, rail, or air.
Mode of Travel: Means of travel such as auto driver, vehicle passenger, transit passenger, bicyclist or pedestrian etc.
Mode Split: The fourth step in forecasting travel is determining what mode of transportation (automobile, transit, carpool) will be used to make a trip.
Model: A mathematical formula that expresses the actions and interactions of the elements of a system in such a manner that the system may be evaluated under any given set of conditions, i.e., land‑use, economic, socioeconomic, and travel characteristics.
Multimodal Transportation Systems: Buses, ferries, cars, and bicycles are all examples of modes of travel. In a multimodal transportation system, each of these components is factored in so that service can be delivered efficiently. For example, the waterfront trolley which conveys ferry passengers to a bus terminal
N
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS): Federal standards that set allowable concentrations and exposure limits for various pollutants. The EPA developed the standards in response to a requirement of the CAA. Air quality standards have been established for the following six criteria pollutants: ozone (or smog), carbon monoxide, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, lead, and sulfur dioxide.
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA): Established a national environmental policy requiring that any project using federal funding or requiring federal approval, including transportation projects, examine the effects of proposed and alternative choices on the environment before a federal decision is made.
National Highway System (NHS): The national transportation system designated by Congress that includes the Interstate Highway System and other nationally significant roads for interstate and interregional travel, national defense, intermodal connection, and international commerce.
National ITS Architecture: A systems framework to guide the planning and deployment of ITS infrastructure. The national ITS architecture is a blueprint for the coordinated development of ITS technologies in the U.S. It is unlikely that any single metropolitan area or state would plan to implement the entire national ITS architecture.
Natural Resource Lands: Natural resource lands are agricultural, forest, and mineral resource lands that have long-term commercial significance.
Non-attainment: Any geographic area that has not met the requirements for clean air as set out in the Clean Air Act of 1990.
Nonattainnent Area: The geographic area designated as not meeting the NAAQS for a criteria pollutant. The boundaries are proposed by the governor, approved by EPA and include that area required to implement plans and programs for attainment of the NAAQS published in the Federal Register.
Non-home Based (NHB) Trip: A trip that takes place between two points, neither of which is the home end of the trip-maker.
O
Open space: Any parcel or area of land or water that is essentially unimproved and devoted to an open space use such as preservation of natural resources, outdoor recreation not requiring development of play fields or structures, or public health and safety (flood control). Landscape settings having attributes that are predominantly natural in character.
Operational Conditions: Description of the transportation facility or service. Includes pavement width, number of lanes, access points. signalization, etc. for roads and transit vehicle capacity, service frequency, transit stop convenience, and safety for transit service.
Oxygenated gasoline: Gasoline enriched with oxygen-bearing liquids to reduce CO production by permitting more complete combustion.
Ozone (O3): Ozone is a colorless gas with a sweet odor. Ozone is not a direct emission from transportation sources. It is a secondary pollutant formed when VOCs and NOx combine in the presence of sunlight. Ozone is associated with smog or haze conditions. Although the ozone in the upper atmosphere protects us from harmful ultraviolet rays, ground-level ozone produces an unhealthy environment in which to live. Ozone is created by human and natural sources.
P
Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5): Particulate matter consists of airborne solid particles and liquid droplets. Particulate matter may be in the form of fly ash, soot, dust, fog, fumes, etc. These particles are classified as "coarse" if they are smaller than 10 microns, or "fine" if they are smaller than 2.5 microns. Coarse airborne particles are produced during grinding operations, or from the physical disturbance of dust by natural air turbulence processes, such as wind. Fine particles can be a by-product of fossil fuel combustion, such as diesel and bus engines. Fine particles can easily reach remote lung areas, and their presence in the lungs is linked to serious respiratory ailments such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and aggravated coughing. Exposure to these particles may aggravate other medical conditions such as heart disease and emphysema and may cause premature death. In the environment, particulate matter contributes to diminished visibility and particle deposition (soiling).
Parts per million (PPM): A measure of air pollutant concentrations.
Pass Through: Traffic using the highway system of a locality which neither originates in nor is destined to the locality.
Peak Period: The time period during which the maximum amount of travel occurs. Generally, there is a morning peak and an afternoon peak period, and less frequently, a midday peak period. The peak period usually extends for at least two hours, which encompasses the peak hour.
Pedestrian Friendly Development: Development designs that encourage walking by providing site amenities for pedestrians. Pedestrian friendly environments reduce auto dependence and may encourage the use of public transportation.
Performance Measures: Indicators of how well the transportation system is performing with regard to such things as average speed, reliability of travel, and accident rates. Used as feedback in the decision-making process.
Performance Monitoring Program: Monitoring the performance of the program is an integral part of the regional transportation plan. It determines how well the plan is being implemented and whether the system improvements and/or applied system demand strategies are having the desired effect. Each RTPO must implement and describe the performance monitoring system they have adopted.
Planning Commission: A group of people appointed by the City Council or County Commission to administer planning and land use regulations for the jurisdiction.
Planning Funds (PL): Primary source of funding for metropolitan planning designated by the FHWA.
Prima Facie: Legal evidence adequate to establish a fact or raise a presumption of fact unless refuted. Legislative bodies must provide that certain facts shall be "prima facie" evidence of other facts (i.e., by providing a "rational connection" of the facts).
Project Development: The phase a proposed project undergoes once it has been through the planning process. The project development phase is a more detailed analysis of a proposed project’s social, economic, and environmental impacts and various project alternatives. What comes from the project development phase is a decision reached through negotiation among all affected parties, including the public. After a proposal has successfully passed the project development phase, it may move to preliminary engineering, design, and construction.
Public Facilities: Includes streets, roads, highways, sidewalks, street and road lighting systems, traffic signals, domestic water systems, storm and sanitary sewer systems, parks and recreations facilities, and schools.
Public Hearing: a formal event held prior to a decision that gathers community comments and positions from all interested parties for public record and input into decisions.
Public Meeting: a formal or informal event designed for a specific issue or community group where information is presented and input from community residents is received.
Public Participation: The active and meaningful involvement of the public in the development of transportation plans and programs.
Public Services: Includes fire protection and suppression, law enforcement, public health, education, recreation, environmental protection, and other governmental services.
Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA): The most commonly used authority for the operation of public transportation in the state. Designation of a PTBA can cover a county, less than a county, or multiple counties, but only one PTBA can exist in each of these jurisdictions. PTBA funding options include a 0.1 to 0.6 percent sales tax, a household tax up to $1 per month, a business and occupations tax, a utilities tax, and a Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET) match.
Public Utilities Element: The Public Utilities Element of the comprehensive plan describes the general location, proposed location, and capacity of all existing and proposed utilities including, but not limited to, electrical lines, telecommunications lines, and natural gas lines.
Q
Queue: A line, as of people or vehicles, waiting a turn.
R
Record of Decision (ROD): a concise decision document for an environmental impact statement that states the decision (selected alternative or choice), other alternatives considered, and mitigation adopted for the selected alternative or choice.
Reformatted gasoline: Gasoline specifically developed to reduce undesirable combustion products.
Regional Councils of Government/Planning Organizations: Regional councils of government are multipurpose, multijurisdictional, public organizations. Created by local governments to respond to federal and state programs, regional councils bring together participants at multiple levels of government to foster regional cooperation, planning and service delivery. They have a variety of names, ranging from councils of government to planning commissions to development districts.
Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP): Each RTPO shall complete a regional transportation improvement program at least once every two years per RCW 47.80.023. The RTIP should cover a six-year period and be cooperatively developed by local government agencies, public transit agencies, and the WSDOT. It should include all regionally significant transportation projects, programs, and transportation demand management measures proposed to be implemented during each year of the six-year period. It must include all regionally significant projects.
Regional Transportation Plan: The Regional Transportation Plan is a product of the regional transportation planning process. It guides the improvement of the regional transportation system. The plan shall identify and address regional transportation issues. It is proposed by the Regional Transportation Planning Organization.
Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO): The body designated by neighboring local jurisdictions within one or more counties, through voluntary association, to achieve coordination for the region. Regions are determined by local govemments that have transportation concems that extend beyond their individual boundaries and a desire and need to work together to address those concems.
Reserve Capacity: The capacity of a lane at an unsignalized intersection minus the demand for the land
Reserved Capacity: The amount of capacity reserved for use by previously approved development or capacity otherwise committed by the jurisdiction.
Rezoning: A growth control measure which prespecifies the type and density of development that can occur in an area.
S
Scenic and Recreational Corridor: The scenic and recreational corridor includes the road, its right‑of‑way, all elements visible from the road, as well as all cultural, historical, and recreational elements accessible from the road and considered important in the highway designation, regardless of whether or not they are visible from the road. The scenic and recreational corridor is thus a conglomeration of visible lands and recreational and cultural resources lands, linked together by visual and physical access. This complex network of natural and human‑built elements varies in size and configuration, and may be interspersed by extensive areas of privately held lands not considered part of the corridor by definition.
Scenic and Recreational Highway: A highway which has been officially designated as Scenic and Recreational by the Washington State Legislature before December 1,1990. A highway which has passed through a threshold determination process and has been nominated for and has received legislative designation for inclusion in the Scenic and Recreational Highway program.
Scenic Byway: Any roadway designated as a Scenic Byway by state or federal agencies or authorities, comprised of outstanding local or regional scenic character.
Scenic Highway: A federal definition based upon the interim scenic byway guidance. A road that has been designated through some legislation or some other official declaration for its scenic, historic, recreational, archaeological, or cultural values. Scenic highways are roads designated through state, federal actions along federal, state, and local highway systems. They can be classified as parkways, greenways, trails, heritage highways, drives, roads, byways, backways, or highways.
Service Level Ordinances: An ordinance which requires that a fixed LOS be met on all of a community's roadways or transit routes. Development impacts are evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis.
Smart Growth: A set of policies and programs design to protect, preserve, and economically develop established communities and valuable natural and cultural resources.
Sources: Refers to the origin of air contaminants. Can be point (coming from a defined site) or non-point (coming from many diffuse sources).[Stationary sources include relatively large, fixed facilities such as power plants, chemical process industries, and petroleum refineries. Area sources are small, stationary, non-transportation sources that collectively contribute to air pollution, and include such sources as dry cleaners and bakeries, surface coating operations, home furnaces, and crop burning. Mobile sources include on-road vehicles such as cars, trucks, and buses; and off-road sources such as trains, ships, airplanes, boats, lawnmowers, and construction equipment.
Sprawl: Urban form that connotatively depicts the movement of people from the central city to the suburbs. Concerns associated with sprawl include loss of farmland and open space due to low-density land development, increased public service costs, and environmental degradation as well as other concerns associated with transportation.
Stakeholders: Individuals and organizations involved in or affected by the transportation planning process. Include federal/state/local officials, MPOs, transit operators, freight companies, shippers, and the general public.
State Department of Transportation (State DOT): A statewide agency that is responsible for conducting transportation-planning activities in non-metropolitan areas of the State, and assisting MPOs in transportation planning for the metropolitan areas. State DOT’s are also responsible for developing, designing, and constructing most of the projects on major highways in most States.
State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA): Act which requires consideration of altematives and mitigation of environmental impacts for major projects and programs both public and private.
State Infrastructure Bank (SIB): A revolving fund mechanism for financing a wide variety of highway and transit projects through loans and credit enhancement. SIBs are designed to complement traditional Federal-aid highway and transit grants by providing States increased flexibility for financing infrastructure investments.
State Implementation Plan (SIP): Produced by the state environmental agency, not the MPO. A plan mandated by the CAA that contains procedures to monitor, control, maintain, and enforce compliance with the NAAQS. Must be taken into account in the transportation planning process.
State Planning and Research Funds (SP&R): Primary source of funding for statewide long-range planning.
State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP): A staged, multi-year, statewide, intermodal program of transportation projects, consistent with the statewide transportation plan and planning processes as well as metropolitan plans, TIPs, and processes.
Statewide Transportation Plan: The official statewide intermodal transportation plan that is developed through the statewide transportation planning process.
Stationary Source: Relatively large, fixed sources of emissions (i.e., power plants, chemical process industries, petroleum refining and petrochemical operations, or wood processing).
Strategy Plan: A plan of actions necessary to achieve the adopted goals.
Surface Transportation Program (STP): Federal-aid highway funding program that funds a broad range of surface transportation capital needs, including many roads, transit, sea and airport access, vanpool, bike, and pedestrian facilities.
System Improvement and Strategy Plan: The improvement and strategy plan defines specific improvements and system or demand management strategies proposed for implementation in the regional transportation plan and identifies priority levels for improvements.
T
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC): Individuals from MPO and RTPO member jurisdictions who possess technical expertise in transportation planning and engineering. Citizens with appropriate technical expertise may also be members of the TAC.
Telecommuting: Communicating electronically (by telephone, computer, fax, etc.) with an office, either from home or from another site, instead of traveling to it physically.
Through Traffic: The amount of traffic which passes "through" on a facility without having an origin or destination in the jurisdiction.
Title VI: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Prohibits discrimination in any program receiving federal assistance.
Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ): A tool used to conduct transportation analyses. Usually, Traffic Analysis Zone designations coincide with U.S. Census Blocks and are used in conjunction with population and employment data for that particular area.
Traffic Stream: The motor vehicle traffic flow on a street or road facility.
Transfer of Development Rights (TDR): A program that permits a property owner or developer to relocate development potential from areas where proposed land use or environmental impacts are considered undesirable to another site which can accommodate increased development beyond that for which it was zoned.
Transit LOS: Level of service standards for the transit system. These standards can measure either supply related or demand related functions.
Transit: The entire public transportation/high occupancy vehicle system including buses, ferries, vanpools, carpools, etc.
Transportation Conformity: Process to assess the compliance of any transportation plan, program, or project with air quality implementation plans. The conformity process is defined by the Clean Air Act.
Transportation Control Measure (TCM): A transportation project, program, or action listed in the state implementation plan that will aid in elimination or reduction of the severity or number of violations of the national ambient air quality standards and help expeditiously attain and maintain those standards. These may include HOV lanes, provision of bicycle facilities, ridesharing, telecommuting, etc. Such actions may be included in a SIP if needed to demonstrate attainment of the NAAQS.
Transportation Demand Management (TDM): Action intended to modify travel behavior, usually to avoid more costly expansion of the transportation system. Transportation demand management addresses traffic congestion by focusing on reducing travel demand rather than increasing transportation supply to increase transportation efficiency. Travel demand is reduced by measures which either eliminate trip making or accommodate person trips in fewer vehicles and may include incentives, disincentives, and the provision of transportation altematives.
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21): Authorized in 1998, TEA-21 authorized federal funding for transportation investment for fiscal 1998-2003. Approximately $217 billion in funding was authorized, the largest amount in history, which is used for highway, transit, and other surface transportation programs.
Transportation Element: Describes the location, capacity, and level of service for all transportation facilities and services. The transportation element of the comprehensive plan includes:
- Land use assumptions
- Level of servicee standards
- Inventory of existing services and facilities
- Current and future deficiencies
- Analysis of financing
- Reassessment/concurrency
- Action strategy
- Intergovernmental coordination
Transportation Improvement Board (TIB): The TIB funds high priority transportation projects in communities throughout the state to enhance the movement of people, goods and services. The board is composed of six city members, six county, two WSDOT officials, a governor appointee from a state agency, a private sector representative, a member representing special needs transportation, a non-motorized representative, a member representing the ports, and two representatives from transit.
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): A schedule of intended transportation improvements (or continuation of current activities) as required in section 134 of Title 23 USC. A TIP shall include projects within the MPO's area that are proposed for funding under Title 23 USC and the Federal Transit Act, projects that are part of or consistent with the transportation plan as previously defined, and transportation control measures that are included in State Implementation Plan for meeting NAAQS.
Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 1998 (TIFIA): A federal credit program under which the USDOT may provide three forms of credit assistance - secured (direct) loans, loan guarantees, and standby lines of credit - for surface transportation projects of national or regional significance. The fundamental goal is to leverage federal funds by attracting substantial private and non-federal co-investment in critical improvements to the nation's surface transportation system.
Transportation Management Area (TMA): All urbanized areas over 200,000 in population, and any other area that requests such designation.
Transportation Management Association: An association of private and public organizations whose purpose is to provide and promote alternative travel options to travelers.
Transportation Plan: A document that describes transportation policies, strategies, and facilities within the metropolitan area boundary defined in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (PL 102‑240). A plan is based on existing and future transportation needs with due consideration given to the transportation elements of local comprehensive plans and forecasts. It is required under the regulation implementing section 134 of Title 23 USC, and section 8 of the Federal Transit Act, and is intended to foster a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive planning process.
Transportation Planning: A collaborative process of examining demographic characteristics and travel patterns for a given area. This process shows how these characteristics will change over a given period of time, and evaluates alternatives for the transportation system of the area and the most expeditious use of local, State, and Federal transportation funding. Long-range planning is typically done over a period of twenty years; short-range programming of specific projects usually covers a period of three to five years.
Transportation Policy Boards or Policy Boards: Each Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) shall have a transportation policy board. The policy board shall provide policy advice to the RTPO. Membership is allowed from representatives of major employers in the region, the WSDOT, transit districts, port districts and member cities, towns and counties within the region.
Transportation Projects: An action that expends funds or approves physical and or operational alterations to a transportation system.
Transportation Systems Management (TSM): Encompasses an array of actions that can be taken to increase the carrying capacity of roadways.
Trip Distribution: The third step in forecasting travel is forecasting where trips begin and where they end. This is done for different trip purposes on trip types. Common examples are home to work, home to school, home to other, and non‑home‑based (trips that do not begin or end at home).
Trip Generation: The second step in forecasting travel is forecasting the number of trips generated by the forecasted land use; the number of trips made to and from each type of land use by day. Trip generation provides the linkage between land use and travel. Trips generated at the home end are generally termed 'Production'. Trips generated by business are generally termed 'Attractions'.
Trip Length: The length of a trip measured in miles; may be airline distance or over‑the‑road distance.
Trip Purpose: The reason for making a trip. Each trip may have a purpose at each end; for example, home to work.
Trip: A one‑direction movement, which begins at the origin and ends at the destination. For example, a trip movement from a residence to a work place is a trip from home to work.
Trust Fund: A fund credited with receipts that are held in trust by the government and earmarked by law for use in carrying out specific purposes and programs in accordance with an agreement or a statute.
U
Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP): The management plan for the metropolitan and regional transportation planning programs. Its purpose is to coordinate the planning activities of all participants in the planning process.
Unity: The degree to which visual elements of the landscape join to form a coherent, harmonious visual pattern. A visual quality criterion.
Urban Growth Areas: Areas where urban growth will be encouraged. Counties and cities must cooperatively establish the urban growth areas and cities must be located inside urban growth areas. Once established, cities cannot annex land outside the urban growth area. Growth outside of urban growth areas must be rural in character.
Urban Growth: Refers to growth that makes intensive use of land for the location of buildings, structures, and impermeable surfaces to such a degree as to be incompatible with the primary use of such land for the production of food, other agricultural products, or fiber, or the extraction of mineral resources. When allowed to spread over wide areas, urban growth typically requires urban governmental services.
Urbanized Area: Area that contains a city with a population of 50,000 or more plus incorporated surrounding areas meeting set size or density criteria as defined by the U.S. Census.
U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT): The principal direct Federal-funding agency for transportation facilities and programs. Includes the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and others.
V
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT): The sum of distances traveled by all motor vehicles in a specified region.
Vested Rights: The act of authorizing completion of a development project pursuant to prior rules or regulations. Determinations of vested rights are normally made on a case‑by‑case basis by the local govemment relying on Statutes and Case Law of the State of Washington.
Visual Character: A descriptive summary of pattern elements (form, line, color, and texture), and pattern character (dominance, scale,diversity, and harmony). Visual character underlies visual quality factors.
Visual Quality: An array of interactive factors involving both the viewer and the resource, and encompassing the excellence of the visual experience.
Vividness: The memorability of landscape components as they combine in striking and distinctive visual patterns. A visual quality criterion.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): VOCs come from vehicle exhaust, paint thinners, solvents, and other petroleum-based products. A number of exhaust VOCs is also toxic, with the potential to cause cancer.
Volume/Capacity (V/C): As a planning tool used to conduct regional transportation analyses, volume over capacity measures current volumes of traffic for a given length of road and expresses this as a percentage of road capacity for that same given length.
W
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT): The state transportation department. The mission is “The Washington State Department of Transportation keeps people and businesses moving by operating and improving the state transportation systems vital to our taxpayers an communities”. Oversight is provided by the Washington State Transportation Commission. The seven-member commission is appointed by the Governor.
Washington Transportation Plan: The name given to the statewide transportation plan. This is required by U.S.C. 135 in which each State is to carry out a continuing, comprehensive, and intermodal statewide transportation planning process that includes developing a statewide transportation plan. The statewide plan must be intermodal, cover a period of at least 20 years, contain elements for non-motorized transportation, be coordinated with the metropolitan planning organizations in the state, address any other transportation studies or planning in the state and it must include financial resource information.
Z
Zoning: A map and ordinance text which divides a city or county into land use "zones" and specifies the land uses and size restrictions for buildings within that zone
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